Giant Meringue (Pavlova Gigantata)

A crisp meringue gives a unique eating experience, as you feel it crunching and melting simultaneously. A perfect meringue dessert, with its fissures and epic swirls, also presents a beautiful landscape for garnishes. If you were able to shrink yourself to approximately one inch tall, this dessert would be the gnarliest surf breaks frozen in time. While we know this is impossible, we can always live vicariously through the myriad fruits, nuts, purees, and whips of the world as they garnish our Pavlova Gigantata. Turn on, tune in...eat Pavlova.

Preparation

To make the mezcal berries, in a medium glass bowl, combine the berries, mezcal, lime zest, lime juice, pure cane sugar, and salt. Let the berries rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven is preheating, spread the coconut shavings on the baking sheet and toast until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the coconut to a bowl, but keep the lined baking sheet for the Pavlova.

To make the Pavlova, in a food processor, pulse the sugars and potato starch until uniformly combined and substantially more fine. Sift the sugar-starch mixture and set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, whip the egg whites with the salt to stiff peaks, add the water and whip 1 minute. Add the sugar mixture little by little—a tablespoon at a time—while continuing to whip the meringue. When you’ve added half the sugar mixture, add the lemon juice. Keep whipping and adding the sugar mixture. When all the sugar is incorporated, whip another 2 or 3 minutes, until you have stiff, glossy peaks.

Taking care not to deflate the meringue, form one giant mass of meringue in the center of the parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a spatula, gently work the meringue closer to the sides of the baking sheet into whatever amorphous shape suits your fancy. After all, perfect circles are for squares, man. As you work, be sure to pull straight up with the end of the spatula to create interesting shapes and curls of meringue.

When you are finished with your edible art project, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and place the masterpiece in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 250°F (keep the oven door shut!) and bake another 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the meringue rest another 10 minutes, then open the oven door and let the Pavlova cool for another hour or so.

To make the whipped cream, using an electric mixer (or a whisk and some elbow grease), whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

To serve, carefully peel the parchment away from the Pavlova (or better yet, serve on the paper to aid in clean up) and garnish as you see fit with heaping spoonfuls of whipped cream, the berries, and the toasted coconut. This is a grab-and-grub scenario, so don’t even bother slicing it—just provide plenty of napkins and scold people who don’t wash their hands before digging in!

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